1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to weedless hooks for use in fishing, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to such hooks which are particularly adapted for use with soft bodied lures such as plastic worms.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
It has long been recognized that it would be advantageous to have a fish hook which would have its barb covered until such time as a fish takes the hook or lure attached to the hook into its mouth. Such a hook construction has many advantages. First, it is weedless and since the barb is initially covered it will not hang up upon various obstacles encountered in the water. Second, a fish is much more likely to take such a hook into its mouth without alarm if the fish does not immediately feel the metal hook.
One such device designed for use with soft bodied plastic worms is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,735 to Serrill. This device includes a multiple barb hook which has the barbed portions thereof cammed outwardly as the hook is pulled forward relative to a surrounding housing, all of which is imbedded in the plastic lure.
Also, many designs have been provided for weedless hooks on hard bodied lures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 151,394 to Huard et al. discloses a lure having a hook which is initially hidden in the body of the lure, but which is biased radially outward by a separate leaf spring member. A releasing mechanism allows the separate leaf spring member to pivot the hook outwardly so as to hook a fish, when the fish strikes the lure.
Other weedless hooks and lures are shown in the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 745,221 to Miller; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,670,174 to Wiersma; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,107,489 to Marcelli; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,133,884 to Barrett; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,424,096 to Janchan; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,355 to Dean et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,985 to Kizer; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,444 to Hameen-Anttila; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,084 to Braden.